Nona Justice - Parent: [00:00:00] We didn't know anything about it, and I got online and started researching and started seeing online programs and, you know, it just seemed like they just raised more questions than answers. And honestly, I talked to a person at EVSC and they directed me towards the Virtual Academy. And once I saw that and I saw that it's part of our local school system and it's accredited, we knew that was for us. Once we came in and talked to them and they showed us the program, we knew this was what we needed to do.
Staci Herrin - Director: [00:00:35] So I think it's just such a neat fit for so many families and it fills such a spot for people, really fills a need for families that want to approach education a little bit differently. It's not easy. There's a lot of parent involvement. Parents have to really be with their students. We call them learning coaches, a parent or another adult that keeps track of the student, keeps track of their work and make sure that they're keeping an eye on them at home.
Staci Herrin - Director: [00:01:02] But it's just such a neat program. It's a really great opportunity for kids to learn differently. It prepares them for college. Taking online courses is something most college students have to do nowadays and to be able to go into a college environment, having already learned how to do this and how to take this kind of a class, it's going to put them at a huge advantage, so I feel like we're really preparing our students really well. And it's just a really, it's a really great opportunity to fill that need.
Janna Justice - Student: [00:01:33] Doing anything online and not going into a traditional setting can be isolating. But with this way, you still get the interaction, and, you know, but you can work at your own pace.
Staci Herrin - Director: [00:01:44] So we have elementary students that come in and meet with our elementary teachers. We have high school students that are with us all day, or this is their only enrollment in school. We have some high school students that come to us just for one or two classes and then attend their other school, traditional school the rest of the time.
Staci Herrin - Director: [00:02:02] We also have some adult learners who, for one reason or another, were not able to finish their high school diploma. And they come to us to get the last of their credits and be able to earn that diploma finally.
Janna Justice - Student: [00:02:14] It's not the traditional way that people would go about it, but it's what works for me. And I think that is really setting me up for the future. And I think I'm probably more prepared this way than I would have been if I would have stayed in my school before this.
Staci Herrin - Director: [00:02:30] Absolutely, that's the one thing that I think I am most pleased about with the Virtual Academy is the amount of support our teachers offer for our students in grades K-12, the amount of communication that they have with their parents, constant communication with parents, constant communication with students, never hesitating to reach out if a student is struggling, and always encouraging those struggling students to come to us as well. We try to keep all eyes on them at all times just to make sure that everybody's getting what they need, because every student needs something a little bit different. And we can offer that here.